Publix employees use online petition to push back against anti-beard policy

Publix employees are fighting for the right to facial hair, with more than 5,000 people signing an online petition to change the conservative appearance code at the Lakeland-based supermarket chain.

Publix clerk Brandon Wesley, who works at a store in Tallahassee, said he started the petition on coworker.org because the store doesn't allow men to grow any facial hair except mustaches, even though beards are growing in acceptance in many professional realms.

"There are a lot of things about the dress code I would change, but I started with beards because it's what the majority of what other people want," said Wesley, a 19-year-old community-college student who has been working with the company for two years.

Publix also allows short beards and longer hair, in a ponytail, at its Greenwise concept stores. A Publix spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

Many companies are being pushed to be more accommodating to younger employees who are more likely to have facial hair, piercing and tattoos. A petition on coworker.org that reached 21,000 signatures helped convince Starbucks to eliminate its policy of covering up tattoos. Similarly, Disney dropped its no-facial-hair policy at theme parks in 2012, a rule that had stood since Disneyland opened in 1955.